It has been quite awhile since I’ve posted a new ylog but I have decided to start again! Weekly I will post a sequence I am teaching at one of my classes here in Nashville, TN. This week’s sequence will be the basis of Tuesday’s Candlelit Yin class at NuPower Yoga and Barre. For transparency I do use ChatGPT to help with the creation but the ideas are all mine!
In the stillness of Yin Yoga, we create space—not only in the body but in the heart and mind. Inspired by Martha Postlethwaite’s poem Clearing, this practice invites you to let go of striving and rest in deep listening, allowing the song of your life to unfold naturally.
Sankalpa (Intention): I create space for clarity and deep listening.
This Sankalpa aligns with the poem’s message of waiting patiently for inner wisdom to emerge. Rather than chasing answers, we cultivate an inner clearing, allowing insight to arise naturally.
Pancamaya Model: Annamaya Kosha (Physical Body)
While all five koshas are subtly influenced, this practice emphasizes the Annamaya Kosha, or physical body, as the gateway to deeper awareness. By working with gentle opening, grounding, and surrender, we release stored tension and create spaciousness within.
Vayu: Prana Vayu (Upward Moving Energy)
Prana Vayu governs reception and awareness, moving inward and upward to cultivate clarity. This sequence encourages an open chest and deep breath, enhancing the ability to listen deeply and receive insight.
Yin Yoga Sequence: Creating a Clearing
Each pose was chosen to support the Sankalpa of creating space for deep listening by releasing tension, stimulating energy pathways, and fostering stillness. The Heart, Lung, Kidney, Liver, and Gallbladder meridians are emphasized to cultivate clarity, trust, and surrender.
1. Seated Nadi Shodhana (Channel Cleansing Breath) (5 min) – Lung & Large Intestine Meridians
- Balances the nervous system and clears the mind for deeper awareness.
- Creates a spacious, receptive state for the practice.
2. Supported Child’s Pose (5 min) – Kidney & Urinary Bladder Meridians
- Encourages deep introspection and nervous system regulation.
- Prepares the body for stillness and grounding.
3. Half-Butterfly (4 min per side) – Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Liver & Gallbladder Meridians
- Deepens spinal release and inner listening.
- Encourages patience in the unfolding process.
4. Sphinx → Seal (5 min total) – Kidney, Urinary Bladder & Heart Meridians
- Opens the chest, enhancing Prana Vayu’s upward flow.
- Encourages receptivity and emotional clarity.
5. Twisted Deer (4 min per side) – Liver, Gallbladder & Urinary Bladder Meridians
- Detoxifies the body and clears stagnant energy.
- Encourages gentle unwinding, both physically and mentally.
6. Supported Bridge (5 min) – Heart, Lung & Pericardium Meridians
- Expands the breath and fosters deep surrender.
- Symbolizes the act of waiting patiently for inner clarity.
8. Bananasana (4 min per side) – Gallbladder & Lung Meridians
- Creates lateral expansion, making space for new insights.
- Encourages full, open breathing and deep release.
9. Reclined Butterfly (5 min) – Kidney, Urinary Bladder, Liver, & Heart Meridians
- Final pose of deep surrender and receptivity.
- Softens the heart, reinforcing the theme of stillness.
Savasana & Mantra Integration (10 min)
Om Mani Padme Hum – The jewel is in the lotus. This mantra reflects the poem’s message that wisdom emerges from stillness. Students are invited to silently repeat this mantra in Savasana, letting its resonance settle within.
Reflection & Closing Thought
This practice embodies the idea that true clarity arises not from effort, but from spaciousness. As you move through these shapes, may you discover your own clearing—a quiet space where the song of your life can be heard.
Karma Yoga Nashville 